A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday afternoon sent tremors rippling through northern and northeastern Thailand, prompting immediate safety measures. In Chiang Mai, patients at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital were swiftly evacuated from high-rise buildings as officials prioritized safety.
Dr. Narain Chotirosniramit, the hospital’s director, instructed outpatients awaiting health check-ups to return home and reschedule for Saturday. Engineering teams were deployed to assess the structural integrity of the hospital’s buildings.
Numerous facilities, including other hospitals, shopping malls, and office buildings across the northern province, experienced the tremors, leading to widespread evacuations.
In the Muang district of Phitsanulok, patients at Buddhachinnaraj Hospital were evacuated after the buildings shook. Dr. Songkriat Udompornwattana described the situation on social media, noting that the tremors lasted for several minutes, inciting chaos as everyone sought safety.
At Fort Suranari Hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Muang district, the building swayed, triggering a swift evacuation of staff and patients. Nareerat Inngam, a cleaner, recalled feeling disoriented on the eighth floor but was motivated to flee when she saw nurses running in panic.
Executives and staff members at the Nakhon Ratchasima provincial chamber of commerce office also evacuated their six-storey building on Suranarai Road due to safety concerns.
In downtown Muang district, over 150 government officials attending a meeting at The Rich Hotel quickly exited the venue as ceiling fixtures swung ominously.
Khon Kaen International Airport conducted immediate safety checks of its runways and infrastructure after employees reported feeling the tremors. Airport director Atthaya Lapmark confirmed that air traffic control suspended all flights as a precautionary measure. All airlines mobilized service points to assist affected passengers, many of whom chose to postpone their flights following the earthquake.
